Lifestyle
LVMH Group’s TAG Heuer, Hublot, Bvlgari, and Zenith the Latest to Leave Baselworld Show
LVMH Group has become the last big player to join the exodus from Baselworld, taking with it TAG Heuer, Hublot, Bvlgari and Zenith.
It’s been a hard week for Baselworld organizers MCH Group, to say the least.
With the surprise withdrawal of Rolex and some of the largest names in the Swiss watchmaking industry earlier this week from the rescheduled 2021 Baselworld, this new blow from the LVMH Group may be the final nail in the coffin for what was once the world’s largest and longest-running watch and jewelry show.
Bvlgari had already withdrawn officially from the 2020 event in February citing the COVID-19 as its main concern however the most recent decision made in conjunction with parent company LVMH Group signaled the end for all future plans with Baselworld.
LVMH Group’s official statement regarding their decision sums it up succinctly:
“The Swiss watch Manufactures of the LVMH Group, including the LVMH Watchmaking Division (TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith) and the House of Bvlgari, have taken note of the departure of Rolex, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Chanel and Chopard from the Baselworld show scheduled for January 2021. Within this context of clearly weakened representation of the Swiss watch industry and hence inevitably lower participation, it appears clear to the brands composing the Division and to the House of Bvlgari that they must also withdraw in order to preserve their image and their relations with their clients as well with the media. They will therefore not be taking part in the 2021 edition of Baselworld.
The four Maisons are examining various potential event formats corresponding to the need to present their strategic directions and new products to their commercial partners – as well as to the international press – next year. The LVMH Watchmaking Division on the one hand, and Bvlgari on the other, will decide on their plans in the coming weeks, according to their respective objectives.”
Commenting on their departure from Baselworld, Stéphane Bianchi, CEO of Watchmaking Division LVMH, said: “We are sorry to have to leave this over 100-year-old Baselworld event, to which our maisons have been consistently loyal. It is nonetheless clear that we must respond quickly and make other arrangements. We are facing an opportunity to reinvent the format and content of one of the key moments of our watchmaking year, which presented both a major commercial challenge and a lever of influence for our brands. With this in mind, we will do our utmost to be present alongside the other prestigious maisons that will gather in Geneva in April 2021 and thereby meet the requirements of our partners and clients while offering them an unrivalled experience.”
Likewise, the CEO of Bvlgari Group, Jean-Christophe Babin agreed and also expressed enthusiasm towards new opportunities saying, “Grouping the entire Swiss watch industry in a single location, Geneva – the historical capital of watchmaking – and around a single date is a major opportunity to at last revive a sector that all too many divisions and divergent interests have weakened, compared to the rest of the luxury sector in which Bulgari is active and that is making much faster progress. We are looking forward to going to Geneva in April 2021, even though we still need to define the terms of our participation, which we will specify in the coming weeks. We are also delighted not to have to make up for the lack of institutional watch shows, which in 2020 forced us to take tactical initiatives that were necessary in the short term but undesirable in the medium term.”
While no further information has been given regarding specifics as to whether the brands will be joining the new show being held by Rolex at Geneva Palexpo alongside Watches & Wonders in April 2021 or planning their own event, it is clear that decisions will be made independently by both LVMH Watchmaking Division (TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith) and Bvlgari based on their individual interests.
Breitling releases Premier B09 Chronograph in a new burgundy color, limited to 250 pieces.
Breitling’s latest addition to the Premier Collection has flown relatively under the radar and is a limited edition B09 Chronograph in burgundy limited to 250 pieces.
First introduced in 1943 by Willy Breitling, the “everyday elegant” design of the Premier collection pays homage to three generations of inventors – Léon, Gaston & Willy Breitling – and embodies Breitling’s legacy of inventing the modern Chronograph.
Encased in a 40mm steel case, the new Premier B09 Chronograph features a burgundy colored sunburst dial with Arabic numerals and complementary brown chronograph subregisters in line with the heritage feel of the Premier collection.
Additional rectangular chronograph pushers and design details such as grooves on the case sides, open sapphire case backs and vintage-inspired hands complete the elegant Premier aesthetic.
Powered by Breitling’s in-house B09 movement offering a power reserve of 70 hours, the new Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph Burgundy comes on a brown alligator strap and is limited to 250 pieces priced at US$8,400 each.
The IWC Shaffhausen Portofino family has expanded with the addition of the new 39 Chronograph edition in three new colors.
For over 30 years, IWC’s classic Portofino Collection has represented the laid-back lifestyle of the Mediterranean and is distinguished by its classic round case and uncluttered dial of the “pocket-watch-style wristwatch.”
Now IWC Shaffhausen has released the Portofino as a 39mm chronograph edition with three new colors: a silver-plated dial with gold hands and markers on a black alligator strap, a green dial with a green alligator strap and a black dial, and gold hands/markers on a brown alligator strap.
Enclosed in a polished stainless steel 39mm case, the Portofino 39 features an elegantly clean dial with delicate leaf-shaped hands and two smaller chronograph sub-dials displaying a 30 minute counter and a seconds subdial.
Along with the chronograph stopwatch functions, the Portofino 39s hacking seconds function also gives the wearer the ability to stop the second’s hand when the crown is pulled out to help synchronize time with a second watch.
Powering the Portofino 39 Chronograph is IWC’s 79350 self-winding movement (based on the modified Valjoux 7750) which offers a 44-hour power reserve.
The all-new IWC Schaffhausen Portofino 39 Chronograph Collection is currently available online with prices starting at $5,900.
Hublot is making a splash with the new turquoise New Big Bang Unico Summer edition available in select Mediterranean retail stores this Summer.
Hublot is celebrating the warmer weather with the creation of a new turquoise-colored unisex Big Bang Unico Summer edition.
Made with a 42mm aluminum case, the lightweight Big Bang Summer uses anodized satin-finished and polished aluminum to create a modern colored material that guarantees longevity and protects it from scratches.
Powered by the UNICO caliber HUB1280 offering a 72-hour power reserve, the new Big Bang Unico Summer features an oscillating seconds clutch, a chronograph friction system with ball-bearing adjustment, and a column wheel that is visible through the dial.
Equipped with Hublot’s patented interchangeable “One Click” attachment system, the Big Bang Unico Summer comes with two turquoise-colored straps: a Velcro strap with matching stitching and matching sports buckle and a natural rubber strap with deployant clasp made with turquoise anodized aluminum with an engraved logo.
Sharing on the inspiration for the new Big Bang Unico Summer, Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe says, “What I love most when traveling is the amazement of the return, wrote Stendhal. This enchantment of the journey that we bring back with us transforms us a little, for the better… And even if daily life has not really changed on our return, our eyes being open to other horizons is enough to lend it new colour.”
“Right from its beginnings, Hublot has adopted a future-focused approach to watchmaking, sparking trends through the many patents it has filed for its innovations. The Big Bang Unico Summer embodies the beauty of our summer experiences. We wanted to give you another shade for this year, to let you relive these magic moments any time you want.”
Priced at US$20,900, the new unisex Hublot Big Bang Unico Summer is limited to 200 pieces and will be available online at hublot.com and in the Mediterranean boutiques in Capri, Forte dei Marmi, Mykonos, Ibiza, Bodrum, Saint-Tropez, and Monaco.
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